K
kai
Guest
Just a short exposition since Tim asked for it. I don't have a digital camera and am too lazy to get a pic for scanning if you don't insist. 
Use non-toxic plastic foam: If you pour boiling water over it and it smells like in a chemist's lab then don't use it. Polyurethane foam is a good guess. The foam needs to have open pores and, thus, being able to soak up water. Use the variety with fine pores (e.g. 30 ppi or more).
I cut it in small pieces - 50 x 20 x 10 mm is fine for small to medium sized newts but you certainly don't need to be fuzzy with exacxt dimensions and can easily change them according to need. I submerse them in hot water, boil them for a few minutes, and pour off the water (if you're allowed to use kitchen ware make sure that there aren't any residual detergents). Using cold water, I wash the pieces a bit and squeeze them until they retain only a bit of moisture (use dechlorinated or better pond water for the last step). Presto - ready for use! If you want to be extra careful, you can soak them in a bucket of aquarium or pond water for some days.
This gives the newts a 3-dimensional crevice system to crawl in and can be readily cleaned. This needs to be done regularly since there are less microorganisms helping to get rid of waste products than in natural soil. Simulated heavy rain helps to rinse off waste products, too. It's also easy to provide a good humidity gradient since the caudates can move freely within the foam and moisture doesn't get soaked up into the upper layers.
Best wishes,
kai
Use non-toxic plastic foam: If you pour boiling water over it and it smells like in a chemist's lab then don't use it. Polyurethane foam is a good guess. The foam needs to have open pores and, thus, being able to soak up water. Use the variety with fine pores (e.g. 30 ppi or more).
I cut it in small pieces - 50 x 20 x 10 mm is fine for small to medium sized newts but you certainly don't need to be fuzzy with exacxt dimensions and can easily change them according to need. I submerse them in hot water, boil them for a few minutes, and pour off the water (if you're allowed to use kitchen ware make sure that there aren't any residual detergents). Using cold water, I wash the pieces a bit and squeeze them until they retain only a bit of moisture (use dechlorinated or better pond water for the last step). Presto - ready for use! If you want to be extra careful, you can soak them in a bucket of aquarium or pond water for some days.
This gives the newts a 3-dimensional crevice system to crawl in and can be readily cleaned. This needs to be done regularly since there are less microorganisms helping to get rid of waste products than in natural soil. Simulated heavy rain helps to rinse off waste products, too. It's also easy to provide a good humidity gradient since the caudates can move freely within the foam and moisture doesn't get soaked up into the upper layers.
Best wishes,
kai